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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29282445">Heroes &amp; Thieves</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkhymns/pseuds/Darkhymns'>Darkhymns</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Tales of Symphonia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>A pair of thieves with their getaway dog, Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Thieves, Clumsiness, F/M, Gen, Humor, No chosen in this universe, Shippy Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 04:55:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,790</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29282445</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkhymns/pseuds/Darkhymns</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Whether rich or poor, everyone has heard of the pair of dual-wielding masked thieves that roam both countries of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla - the Red Phantom and the Blue Angel. And of course, their frightening hound that would whisk them away into the middle of the night, leaving no trace behind. (Well, almost any trace, if one ignored the person-shaped holes that would decorated a ransacked mansion or vault).</p><p>But after breaking into a mansion with its overabundance of unopened presents, the famous thieves may have just met their match. Who was this weird ninja?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Colette Brunel/Lloyd Irving, Sheena Fujibayashi &amp; Zelos Wilder</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Heroes &amp; Thieves</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The thought process of how this started: Colette has her item thief arte, while Lloyd knows how to lockpick. Obviously, they should work together as thieves!<br/>This is basically that fic.</p><p>Big divergence from canon in that there is no Chosen system in this universe and no split worlds - it would have been too messy to figure out. (So no pretty wings for Colette, she's called an angel here because of her personality!) But the Martel religion still kinda exists? Don't think too hard about it because I sure didn't.</p><p>This was self-indulgent as heck but any kudos/comments are always appreciated! Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Meltokio usually didn’t get quiet until late into the night. Nor did it get dark enough either, with the lampposts, powered by magitechnology, lighting up the cobblestone streets. Every lone passerby, usually a high noble that had stayed over at a gala party far too late, was illuminated by the soft glow on their path. Sometimes it would also be a merchant rushing back home after finally closing up shop, or a beggar trying to find a soft place to rest now that local guards of the upper level patrolled a bit less.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, even with night owls roaming the streets, there were pockets of shadows just out of the light’s reach. Perfect for hiding those who wished to stay hidden, who wished to be as stealthy as they could…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think this is the wrong street,” spoke a voice that broke the night’s stillness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If one could hear the soft padding to the right of the pathway, they’d only catch the fleeting image of a creature on all fours, with two figures riding atop it. But when Noishe really, </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> tried, he could be as silent as he could, the pads on his feet minimizing all sound. Although, when his claws were too long, they tended to clack against stone…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd, hearing both Colette’s concerns and Noishe’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>click-clacks</span>
  </em>
  <span>, tried to problem-solve this in the span of a minute. He already had a map out, which he couldn’t see much because, well, it was really dark here when they were out of the light like this… “Are you sure? This place looks pretty fancy…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think this is the shop district? Not the residential area!” Colette sounded apologetic, even as Lloyd was slowly realizing that she was very right, and that he was very wrong… The potion shop that they had just passed was a bit of a dead give-away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Argh, dammit… Okay, new plan!” Lloyd patted Noishe on the head, getting his attention. “Go up the stairs over here, okay boy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I always worry we’re too heavy for him…” spoke Colette, even as Noishe followed instructions obediently (but not without a whine), loping across some bushes to get to the giant stone stairway, still keeping to the shadows as much as he could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, Noishe is strong! And he can run like the wind even with double us on top! I just… forgot to clip his nails earlier…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course, the constant </span>
  <em>
    <span>click-clack</span>
  </em>
  <span> kept making Lloyd wince, but luckily, the guards were not really outside tonight. As they reached the top of the stairs, Lloyd noticed one castle guard standing by the great doors ahead, leaning on his pike, his snoring echoing inside his helmet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colette must have noticed Lloyd’s look, poking at his shoulder just then. “Lloyd…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh?” Lloyd started in guilt. “Ah I know… We’re not going to go to the castle… Not tonight at least…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colette nodded, her smile bright enough for him to see in the dark. Or it was probably just because his eyes had adjusted by now. It was really only that smile, along with the lower part of her face, that he could see clearly, everything else covered by a dark mask. Although, he could see how the moonlight reflected off her eyes. “Yeah, but we can next time!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hehe, definitely.” Despite the fact that he and Colette were talking in normal-volume conversation, very few people were outside, so it was much easier to be sneaky now anyway. Facing once again into the night, Lloyd adjusted his own mask, keeping it more firmly in place. The night would mute the bright red he had insisted for its shade.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noishe rushed faster down the street, past rows of what Lloyd could only describe as mansions, with their three-story heights, their marble balconies, their stucco designs and overflowing gardens that decorated what seemed to be a mini-plaza within what seemed to be a high-class cul-de-sac.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The people here were ridiculously wealthy, even more so than the other cities they had visited. It only further strengthened Lloyd’s resolve. He knew he was doing the right thing, even if…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s the one,” Lloyd pointed a gloved hand towards one mansion in particular, more grand (Grander? Was that the right word?) than the rest. It’s salmon-pink walls seemed to gleam within the moonlight. The color was a weird choice, but it wasn’t like Lloyd understood rich people very well. “Er, or is it, Colette?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um…” Colette perused through the map they had brought, finger angling down the paper. “I think so! Just before the end of Regal Street.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, let’s go!” He winced again. “Sorry, I keep shouting…” They were supposed to be sneaky!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd also tried to move extra carefully as his swords strapped to his waist rattled, just a little bit at least. Maybe these swords were usually too big to sneak around with, but they were his trusty set, also having both of them would make him stronger anyway! Holding onto one of the hilts, he tried to tiptoe towards the home, his boots barely making a sound across the pavement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colette had less of an issue with her own weapons, her double chakrams strapped behind her back, hidden away so that no gleam could be seen off their surface. Lloyd had his own swords in his scabbards but they still weren’t exactly light…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was also the first to slide off Noishe’s back but was the last to leave him. Lovingly petting his long ears and shushing his whines, she calmed him down enough to lay near a rosebush, hidden well-away from the lights on the road. “It’s okay, Noishe. We’ll be back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But once she rejoined Lloyd, he could see her own determination in her eyes, reflecting his. She was as serious about this as he was, her unbound hair slightly shifting with the breeze. “Ready.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd nodded. “Okay.” From his pockets, he pulled out something small but sharp, grinning at Colette with a bit of excitement. “Wanna bet how long this will take me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hm,” Colette visibly pondered on the question, her face still half-shadowed from the dark. “6 minutes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Way too long! I’ll get this done in 30 seconds flat!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow, good job, Lloyd! That’s amazing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Congratulate me after I lockpick it first!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he was already motivated by Colette’s belief in him, already kneeling in front of the ornate door and looking over its way too fanciful lock. Lloyd ignored its gaudy color, already setting himself to work inserting both pin and pick to fiddle at its mechanisms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No one could lockpick better than a blacksmith apprentice like himself after all!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And…got it! Too easy!” Lloyd nearly punched his fist in the air victoriously before realizing that maybe now was not the best time. “Heh, sorry. So how long was that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colette, looking just as excited as he with the released lock, stared off into space for a moment. “Um… oops. I forgot to count while you were doing it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd’s pride suddenly fell flat at that. “Aw, I really wanted to know if I beat my record.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe you could try again?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd, very much considering the option to lock himself out of the mansion, shook his head. “Nah, just remember for me next time, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While it was fun to play these games, they had some work to do! Games could wait!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd carefully pushed open the door, peering inside to find only darkness. He leaned in even more, and promptly bumped his head against what seemed to be coat hanger next to the door. “Ow. Why’s that there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he got ahead of himself, once again quieting his voice to a near whisper as he turned to Colette. “Do you hear anyone?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was one of Colette’s many talents; few had as sensitive of hearing as she did and could put it to good use. So when she moved past the doorway, angling her head to detect any stray sound, Lloyd did his best to hold his breath so that she didn’t pick any noises from him instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a moment, she shook her head. “Mm, I think the coast is clear!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd could barely contain himself. With a grin, he rushed in (while carefully closing the door and also quieting his swords) to finally get a look at the place they were going to do work in tonight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>…And it was much, much bigger than he had anticipated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow…” Lloyd whispered, looking around the main lobby with the plush couches, the grand piano off in the corner, and a fancy portrait of a woman hanging off the right corner, as if wanting to be hidden from view. Both him and Colette softly tread across the tiled floors onto plush carpets. Barely a hush to their movements, the air so still. No nighttime servants or guards that hung around, which surprised Lloyd, but he took it as a positive sign.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, he couldn’t help but be a little shocked when he kept finding new things every time he turned his head. The fireplace to his left was massive, dwarfing his own back home! And it was made of expensive material too, with etchings in its stonework. This didn’t even compare to when he looked ahead and saw glass doors that led to even </span>
  <em>
    <span>more rooms.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“This guy must be loaded!” Lloyd had to say, then once again winced. He really wasn’t good at being quiet… “Though I guess everyone on this street is technically…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But at least he wasn’t the only one shocked. Colette looked around as well, blue eyes wide beneath her mask. “We might need to make several trips…” she suggested, already heading towards an ornate dresser, its drawer handles seeming to be made of gold. “Since there’s an upstairs too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Agh, that’s gonna be annoying. Let’s just try to get everything we can in one go! Noishe can help carry the rest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, Lloyd unhooked a satchel he carried at his belt – and proceeded to loot every expensive item in sight!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I call the living room!” he half-yelled, half-whispered as he rushed towards the left side of the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah! No fair…” Colette whined but he could see her already rushing away to another part of the house to do her own job as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When it came to stealing, there were no better thieves than he and Colette! But only for high-class places like this, even though this place was probably the fanciest they had hit just yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span> A place like this has to have jewels…. Or vaults full of Gald!</span>
  </em>
  <span> Lloyd passed by a table placed in the middle of the room, overflowing with what looked to be wrapped presents. Hm, was it okay for him to look through these? Some of them hadn’t even been opened, and presents felt somewhat different… </span>
  <em>
    <span>Wait, why am I worried about that?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd didn’t find any vaults so far, but there was no lack of Gald in this house regardless. Some of it just seemed to be laying around the furniture, including the plush sofas (which he made sure to check in-between the couch cushions for!) and even some were inside the presents? Not a very creative gift, but at least he could take it easy…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time Lloyd decided to pick up some items, he heard Colette from behind him. “I’m all set!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh? Already?” Lloyd turned to Colette, clutching a few expensive-looking hairbrushes in both hands. The fact that he had found more than one hanging around the living room was already kind of odd. “I don’t get how you do it so fast!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colette had her own satchel filled with taken goods. Though he couldn’t see, he could hear the soft clink of porcelain, along with what must have been the clatter of Gald. “Hehe. I’m a pro at item thief, remember?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, that’s-“ Lloyd stopped, narrowing his eyes at Colette, then sighed when he noticed the bruise on her forehead. “Did you trip earlier?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you trip yourself on purpose?!” Lloyd moved to see if she had any more injuries, hands reaching out and, well, still holding onto the hairbrushes and may or may not have brushed her hair in the process. “Colette, you don’t need to hurt yourself just to pick up stuff!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But it’s much faster this way! And I’m more likely to succeed at getting stuff if I use it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t…really get that…” But then again, she was right. He had witnessed that plenty of times! He just wished she didn’t have to hurt herself in the process.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colette adjusted her bag of stolen goods one more time, but he knew it wasn’t heavy for her at all. Already his back was aching at just looking at the weight of her satchel. “Ready to go, Lloyd?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd looked around the room. Nothing much else except some of the presents, and the rest had been filled with spoiled fish. Rich people had weird tastes in gifts. “Yeah, but uh, you think you can take one of these brushes…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd didn’t even get to finish his sentence. He saw Colette’s eyes widen, saw her turn around. He knew what that meant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Someone’s here!” she whispered, setting her bag down to retrieve her weapons.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd finally had the thought to just drop the brushes and reach for his own swords – but not before several objects surrounded them both. They were small, just the size of his palm. They looked like paper cards…?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Show yourselves!” shouted a voice. Suddenly, a light erupted from those floating cards around them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gah!” Both Lloyd and Colette shielded their faces from the brightness, but it wasn’t enough to hide them away for long.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The voice had come from the stairway railing up above (they hadn’t even gotten to explore the second floor!) and there stood a black-haired woman in strange attire – but she looked on them both as if what they wore was even stranger!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So… you’re the infamous thieves that’s been targeting all of Tethe’alla!” She held up another of those strange cards between her fingers. “Gotta say, surprised you didn’t get caught sooner with that get-up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh?!” Lloyd looked back down at his outfit, not understanding what the problem was. “Hey, red is a good color!” he shouted back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Indeed it was! Though Lloyd and Colette wore masks over their faces to keep their identities a secret, this red jacket, with its arrays of silver buttons and collar strips that flowed out of his collar, was the most comfortable he had ever worn. </span>
  <em>
    <span>And</span>
  </em>
  <span> it looked cool too!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>…That said, it </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>pretty awesome that they were famous apparently! With pride, he stood up tall, one hand on his hip while the other held out both his thumb and forefinger, trying out his new pose that he’d been working on. “I mean, what else do you expect the Red Phantom Thief to wear?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Phantom?” The woman raised an eyebrow. “Wait, I thought you were the Red Robin.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His cool pose instantly faltered.</span>
  <em>
    <span> “What?! </span>
  </em>
  <span>Why do people keep calling me that!?” What part of his cool persona had anything to do with a bird?!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look, it doesn’t matter! Both the Red Robin and the Blue Angel’s thieving days are over!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, she got my name right though!” Colette waved at the lady, not as worried about hiding herself anymore. Though her outfit only had some accents of blue, the name still fit her well, along with the mask that more or less resembled wings, filigreed with azure in comparison to Lloyd’s crimson one. “It’s nice to meet you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Colette, she’s trying to put us in jail…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, I just thought we should still be nice, since she must only be doing her job…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sheena stomped on the railing, making it creak. “Stop whispering to each other, you criminals! You’re going to give back what you stole!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh… but we didn’t technically steal anything yet!” Colette piped in helpfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t admit it!” Lloyd whined.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry! Unless she means the other things we stole… but we don’t have them anymore…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh, that’s right… Are we supposed to carry all that stuff around?” Lloyd scratched at his head, thinking hard on the concept. “It’d be too heavy and Noishe wouldn’t be able to carry all that and us too…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do you guys keep ignoring me?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, sorry about that,” Lloyd said, voice a little subdued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colette bowed her head. “I’m sorry too!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not- argh!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, the lady clearly had enough. She leapt off the railing, flipping numerous times through the air which made the pink sash of her outfit flow along with her body. Lloyd and Colette watched in awe as she gracefully landed a few feet in front of them, feet just past an elegantly detailed carpet that was behind her. In all her motions, she barely missed a beat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colette clapped. “Wow, that was really good!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd couldn’t disagree. “Yeah, no kidding! That was cool!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The lady stumbled slightly, losing her graceful composure, even for just a second. “W-What? You guys are the strangest thieves I’ve come across.” She shook her head, staring hard at them once more. With how quiet she had moved, so quiet that not even Colette had heard her at first, Lloyd wondered if she would make a good thief too… That would be competition!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The name’s Sheena Fujibayashi. I’ve been tracking you two down for quite some time. Going all over both Sylvarant and Tethe’alla territory. Heard you took a fortune from Palmacosta’s coffers, but you bit off more than you can chew by coming here.” She narrowed her eyes at them, sharp in her gaze. “Your thieving days are about to end.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That had caught Lloyd off guard. “Huh? You’ve been spying on us? That’s rude!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Criminals don’t get a say in that! And it’s not rude!” Sheena scoffed a bit. “It doesn’t take a genius to know you’d try to rob </span>
  <em>
    <span>this </span>
  </em>
  <span>place out of all of them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd groaned. “But that was our secret plan!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess it’s not a secret anymore…” Colette said sadly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“However…” Sheena said carefully. “What I don’t get is how you guys even got past Meltokio’s walls? All the gates are closed. Including the sewer!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sewer?” Lloyd asked, but he was careful to not slip up on his and Colette’s escape route! A thief never revealed his secrets after all! Well, unless she somehow spied on that too… “You’re gonna have keep guessing on that!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I just tripped is all!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd nearly fell on his face at Colette’s admission.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sheena raised an eyebrow. “Tripped? What does that have to do with anything?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing! It has to do with nothing!” Lloyd tried to subtly signal to Colette. “We don’t know how we got here at all! Right, Colette?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“…Oh, right! Hehe, messed up.” She laughed and stuck out her tongue playfully. “We don’t know anything!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“…Okay…weird…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seeing Sheena’s initial confusion, Lloyd saw this as a good opportunity to try and escape. Giving a tiny nod to Colette to catch her attention, he tried to see if they could rush to the door quick enough…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not so fast!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was when Sheena made a quick motion with her hands – looking almost like a prayer except for the rapid succession of signals she did – and the same cards that hovered around them suddenly glowed red. Lloyd felt a strange weight on his body, as if someone had just dumped luggage right onto his shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“H-Hey!” he shouted. He tried to turn to Colette, but could barely do it! “Let us go!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“With my seals, you’re not getting away. I was sent to stop you and that’s just what I’m doing.” Sheena looked a bit smug as she spoke, a smirk on her lips. “So don’t blame your fate on me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can do exactly that!” But even as Lloyd struggled, he couldn’t seem to break free. Whatever powerful bindings were in these paper cards, they were more than he could handle. Who knew paper could even be considered a threat!!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And…why do you keep calling us thieves?” he threw out during his struggles. He felt he was loosening his foot a bit! Just a little bit though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sheena said nothing at all at first, practically speechless in her shock until she sputtered. “Because… that’s what you are?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colette shook her head politely, from what Lloyd could tell. Actually, she didn’t seem to be as restricted as he was… “But we’re not thieves. We’re heroes for the less fortunate! Right, Lloyd?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah!” he said, trying to nod and instead just… stretching a little. Good enough. “We don’t take the money for ourselves, but for those who need it most!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“…That’s still stealing,” Sheena intoned. “You’re taking stuff from other people to do that. That’s still being a thief.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s way more than that!” Lloyd argued, never stopping in his struggle. “The Red Robin doesn’t steal for himself… Wait, I meant Red Phantom!” Dammit, now that dumb name was stuck in his head too!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Even if that was the case, it doesn’t change what you’re doing right now.” Sheena stared at the bags of stolen goods that were on the floor, all gathered from Lloyd and Colette’s wandering hands. “Things like this… they can’t go unpunished. And if you’re stealing from </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> place, then I definitely have to stop you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd blinked. “Is this your home? Is that why you keep bringing it up?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh?! Who said anything about that! Don’t be stupid!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What was up with that reaction? Lloyd only felt more confused now! “Okay, sorry…I was just saying stuff…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see.” Colette’s voice was tranquil, moreso than Lloyd had expected. She really wasn’t worried they were basically trapped right now… “This home is important to you, because it belongs to someone you care about. I’m sorry. If we knew that, we wouldn’t have come here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“W-What the heck do you mean? I never said that!” Any smugness Sheena had now completely left her face, now replaced by confusion. “And how would you not coming here if you knew make any sense?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s got a point, Colette… We didn’t even know her until now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, that’s right!” In her blue, angel-wing shaped mask, Colette scratched the back of her head, giggling. “But, if we did know each other before, I bet we would have been great friends!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sometimes Colette went off-tangent on a conversation so fast, that even Lloyd couldn’t keep up. “Have you been thinking about being friends with her this whole time?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that weird?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not really, just… maybe not the best time-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You two seriously need to stop messing with me! Ugh.” With a groan, Sheena pulled out an array of cards from her sleeve, holding them up to her face as if she had her own deck of aces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hold on! Back up a sec, it’s true what Colette said. We’re giving all the money we take to give to those who need the help.” Lloyd tightened his hold on his swords, bringing the blades close, or as close as he could. “Haven’t you seen this city? People just have all…all </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span>…” He tried, but mainly failed, at gesturing to the display of wealth; to the fancy velvet drapes along the windows, to the tiled marble floors, to all those fancy presents on the table. “Yet they don’t worry or help those who are living in poverty right beneath them!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sheena hesitated, even if for only a moment. Did she think the same thing too? She must have known of those slums just within the city, of the multitude of poor villages where so many starved during the harsher seasons…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd had felt that even in Iselia, always hearing of the far-off city of Meltokio and its vast treasure trove of wealth. But knowing that even here, where some people dined in golden houses, there were others living in the mud. “You have to see that isn’t right at all!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lloyd…” Colette’s soft voice tugged at his chest. He had let his emotions run off again, but it was true what he believed. Every word of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I understand what you mean…” Sheena said – and then her voice grew hard, ruthless. “But that’s not for you to decide. You can’t know every person’s intentions with what they own. You can’t know how the owner here plans to use what he has…” She got into a stance, one that Lloyd had never seen before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And a thief is still a thief! But if you want, you can talk all about your grievances with the king.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He really had no idea what to expect from her, especially from someone who fought with cards. Lloyd tried once again to move, but he felt like he was stuck in quicksand. His feet just stayed rooted to the floor. Aw man, and he thought he had been moving his left foot before! “Stop!” he called out as Sheena moved forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then Colette moved forward too. Wait, she wasn’t trapped?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sheena was just as shocked as Lloyd was. “H-How did you get out?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colette stood in front of Lloyd, holding out her double chakrams in front of her. She blinked, and it seemed she would join with the others in their confusion. “Ah, was that supposed to happen? I’m sorry. I think your cards must’ve missed me!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh goddess, sometimes Lloyd really couldn’t believe Colette’s luck! (And his own unluckiness when it came to these situations.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sheena seemed to be on the same page there. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>missed?!</span>
  </em>
  <span> Well… I won’t this time!” Sheena’s cards in her hand began to glow. “You can have a taste of one of my Guardians if you-!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, whoops!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Really, Lloyd should have expected what would happen next.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colette tried to move to the side as much as she could, while also still covering for Lloyd who stayed frozen in time. Clearly she didn’t want to hurt Sheena at all, but also wanted to protect Lloyd. The brief conflict of indecision made the tip of her boot catch the edge of one of the many plush rugs that covered the first floor of the mansion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Watch out!” She tried to warn her enemy (or friend?), but Colette was already tackling right into Sheena who, by the force of the push, practically flew back down to the rug-covered floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was when the rug seemed to pull right into the center where Sheena fell, further and further until-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did you know about my back-up trap </span>
  <em>
    <span>NOOOOOO!!”</span>
  </em>
  <span> But Sheena’s words were replaced by screams as she fell right into a strange makeshift pit that seemed to have been dug right into the mansion’s tiled floors.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh.. I messed up…” Colette said, realizing what she’d done.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By then, the cards hovering around Lloyd drifted down to the floor, releasing him from their invisible binds. Lloyd wobbled on his feet, his previous struggling nearly making him kick out wildly in the air before he regained balance. “Whoa…” He shook his head, never wanting to be put in that weird situation. “Uh, did she just…fall…?” He leaned over to what looked like to be a giant hole in the ground, right in front of him. “And how is this even here?” He had so, so many questions. Maybe he wasn’t as unlucky as some people…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colette was kneeling on the edge of the floor, her face so full of worry, clearly seen even through her mask. “Is she okay? I didn’t mean to do that at all…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd shook out the previous stiffness from his limbs, sheathing his swords before walking towards Colette, kneeling with her. “Well, I mean she was going to arrest us. And she was going to fight you too!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colette pouted, hands clasped before her, still staring into that dark pit that seemed to have no bottom. But really, </span>
  <em>
    <span>how</span>
  </em>
  <span> did they even make a pit inside this mansion in the first place?! Maybe it was another rich people thing…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she kept staring down, Lloyd gently placed his hand on her shoulder, getting her attention. “Lloyd, should we call for help?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed. “That’s…going to be kinda hard with what we were doing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colette, lover of puppies and doggies, was able to pull off the look of the animal she so adored. Lloyd could barely resist that gaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Agh, alright, alright! Maybe we can leave a note for the guards nearby or-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hunnyyyy~!” called a voice from upstairs, freezing Lloyd’s words right in his throat, as if he had just been imprisoned again. “You there? What’s all the noise about?” The voice yawned in mid-sentence, its tone so casual and airy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd stood up quickly, grabbing Colette’s arms to bring her up with him. “See? Help is on the way! Now let’s get out of here!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, if you’re sure-” but Colette barely got to finish her sentence before footsteps echoed from above. Both of them grabbing their satchels of stolen goods (Lloyd with one, Colette with about five), they rushed through the door, as stealthily as they could!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>…Until Colette dropped a few expensive plates from her satchel onto the floor. “Ah!” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Crash crash kerplow!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The casual voice from upstairs shifted gears then. “What the hell-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Colette, leave those!” Lloyd grabbed Colette by her free… er, overcoat flaps on her back, since both her hands were a bit occupied carrying things. They made it out to the doorsteps, the night sky still dark. “We just gotta find Noishe and-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>…And their dog was nowhere to be found in the bushes they had left him in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd sighed even more this time, the action pulling out his very soul from the pit of his stomach. “He ran away </span>
  <em>
    <span>again!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Colette’s tone held a bit of a reprimand in it, rare as it was. “You know he gets scared by himself, Lloyd.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But he whines too loudly to bring him inside houses!” Another sigh, but smaller this time. He adjusted the satchel easier on his shoulder. “Guess we’re hoofin it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Colette nodded. She piled on her bags onto her shoulders as if they were just a bunch of stuffed animals she carried around. “Where to first?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd shot her a grin. “To where we can make all this flashy stuff finally useful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And like two thieves in the night – which they were not! – both Lloyd and Colette rushed off, past sleeping guards that never knew what happened.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Zelos had only just heard the commotion a little bit ago. Usually, he was a bit of a night-owl, but not this time when he had to just </span>
  <em>
    <span>wait</span>
  </em>
  <span> instead of having any fun…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So he might have slept through his time, for a little while, and he might have an angry Sheena on his hands because of that… But it couldn’t have gone that bad, right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was answered for him when he finally leaned over the banister and saw the giant, carved-up hole in the middle of his downstairs floor. “Uh,” he uttered, trying to remember if this had been part of the plan Sheena had detailed to him earlier. “Hunny?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A brief pause before the voice of what sounded like a haunted spirit floated up from that pit. “Where the </span>
  <em>
    <span>hell</span>
  </em>
  <span> have you been?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zelos grinned, quickly leaping over the banister to land expertly on his slippers. (He forgot to put on his shoes). He was just a few feet away from the hole. “Catching up on my beauty sleep, what else?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were supposed to stand by and back me up! You </span>
  <em>
    <span>idiot!</span>
  </em>
  <span> I-” But the ghostly voice was interrupted by a strangled screech. Zelos straightened up immediately, the hint of any smiles completely erased from his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He reached down, grabbing Sheena’s hand before she fell, fingers gripping tightly over his wrist. He had seen her hanging onto an outcropping in whatever pit she had made before she lost her hold. With sudden adrenaline, Zelos pulled her out, kneeling beside her as she finally made it to safe ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sheena panted, one hand pressed against the floor while the other stayed locked with Zelos’. After a moment, she raised her head, staring hard at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The saucy grin came back to him so easily. “Thought you said you wouldn’t fall for me,” he teased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She ripped her hand from his grip to curl it into a fist and give him a deserved smack against his shoulder. “Are you serious?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ow! Well if you’re going to be rough with me…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You call that rough?” Sheena got to her feet, face completely red, and already Zelos could tell she was stuck in several shades of embarrassment now. “You don’t even ask me how it </span>
  <em>
    <span>went!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zelos shrugged, knowing that would only anger Sheena further, knowing that would only make her feel like she failed even when she hadn’t at all. But it was the best action he had right now. The downstairs also looked a bit… empty, for lack of a better word. Certain knick-knacks seemed to be missing from their shelves, and he might have been missing a few presents actually?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s there to know?” he asked, also standing up, face as serene as water. Most nobles of Meltokio were generally laid back, but Zelos had such a relaxed nature at times that he knew others found unsettling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With Sheena though, she just got more annoyed. “Do you even care?! Months of tracking them down and planning and this is what happens… We could have avoided this if you were actually nearby like I said to be!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zelos held up his hands to her. “Whoa, whoa! Calm down, babe. It’s not the end of the world! I mean… maybe the pit wasn’t the best idea, just throwing that out there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think I don’t know that?!” Sheena ran her hands through her hair, groaning and looking ready to fall right back into that pit. “Of all the times I had to trip!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she yelled, he knew it was mostly aimed at herself then at him, most of the time anyway. So he didn’t take it to heart, watching the words prick herself. “But you still got them tracked, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sheena let down her hands and sighed. “Yeah… Corrine is still following them. They don’t sense him at least.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See now? Gotta keep things on the bright side!” Zelos deftly walked around the pit, eyeing again the empty tables. Most of the stuff was replaceable anyway, though his eyes strayed to a certain painting hidden away in a corner. Interesting. Maybe they didn’t think it was valuable enough to take? Or maybe it was just too big to carry? Zelos wasn’t sure how to feel on that at least.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Besides,” he said, turning back to Sheena with a flourish. “Not like we were actually going to arrest them anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sheena frowned, but she didn’t deny it. Instead, she only looked more and more frustrated, her right eyebrow twitching. “I know that. But </span>
  <em>
    <span>they</span>
  </em>
  <span> didn’t.” Sheena paused, also noting the stolen items, leaving the lower floor of the mansion nearly barebones except for the furniture. “I still don’t understand.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Understand what?” Zelos asked, purposefully acting the fool and knowing that she knew.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What you’re aiming for. We had orders from the Pope… You’re really sure he won’t find out?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, if I was sure of anything, I probably wouldn’t even be here.” He winked at her. “But that’s why you wanted to be part of my master plan, right? Gets you excited.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m excited to kick you right in the kneecaps if that’s what you’re aiming for.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zelos laughed, the sound echoing even more harshly in the open room without all the clutter in the way. “See? You have so much energy!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m only going along with this because I don’t trust the Pope… Even less than I trust you.” Sheena scuffed the bottom of her heels against the floor, truly getting the ‘disgruntled bodyguard to a carefree playboy’ right down to the details. “But we’re going to have keep tracking them so you can finally get to have that talk you want.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perfect! Then we just need a do-over, how hard is that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sheena rolled her eyes. “But now they’re onto us. And why would they talk to us now when they think we’re enemies?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Trust me, we can’t have it any other way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knew Sheena was trying so hard to make sense of his logic. “And this is why I still can’t understand you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then it’s all going according to plan then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Zelos was ready to get his plan into action, but there was, maybe, just one tiny hurdle they had to deal with right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seriously though, how did you even manage to dig a hole in my floor?” And also, was she covering this? But he didn’t ask that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have my ways of doing things, and you have yours,” she said in a huff. “It’s not even that deep of a hole…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“…You certainly made it sound like it was.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was just flustered, alright?!” She groaned. “This hole was supposed to be a backup plan… These guys must have known somehow! That’s why they tripped me…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Zelos nodded, but if truth to be told, he only half-believed her. Sheena was so clumsy, but only at the worst times. Life was tough on the girl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, but uh, we’ll need to have this fixed pronto. Don’t want ol’ Sebastian to fall in while he takes care of the place while I’m away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sheena swerved on him immediately. Yes, he could already tell what his plan was. And why she didn’t like this at all. “No, you don’t mean…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With an ecstatic smile, Zelos wrapped Sheena up in his arms, scooping her off her feet. “That’s right! I’m coming along to chase them down right with ya, hunny~!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Honestly, even with the bone-crunching punch he received just after, it was worth it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sometimes you need to sacrifice a little comfort to go and help change the world, after all.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>There was something about the Meltokio slums that reminded Lloyd of home, even as he and Colette’s boots would get stuck to the muck of the roads occasionally, or when they’d nearly slipped down the stone steps because it was damaged, city never sending in workers for repairs. (Okay, it was Colette who had slipped, and Lloyd had to quickly catch her, along with the numerous satchels she carried).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The air was quiet as any other part of the city, but the atmosphere of it was on edge, a bit frenzied. Lloyd saw a few eyes peek through the slats of a much too small window. The roof was caved-in, the boards rotted from mildew and infestation most likely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once they made it down one road, where it was too squared in by the buildings on either side, the mud building up even more around here – Lloyd signaled for Colette to stop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is as good a place as any,” he said, putting down his own satchel to the muddy ground. Some of it splashed on his cool red jacket. He sighed, but now was not the time to be worried about that stuff.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colette nodded, putting down her own multiple bags with barely any trouble. “You still think it’s not enough?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd looked through the opening of his bag, took a moment, and shrugged. “Maybe for a little bit… I need to step up my own game to catch up to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay, Lloyd! I was following your lead the whole time.” Her mask reflected the moonlight, shining both azure and pink. It almost looked like she was ready to go to a fancy costume party with it on – and he wondered if he seemed the same way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He cleared his throat, opened the bag more, then called out to one of the raggedly-dressed children he could see hiding behind the corner of a building. “Hey! Can you get everyone to come here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The child was speechless at first, looking ready to flee. But then they stopped, moving a bit into the light when they saw just who the pair was. “Who… Wait, you’re the Red Phantom?” A turn of their head, gazing at Colette. “And the Blue Angel!”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ha! They got my name right!</span>
  </em>
  <span> Just one other reason why the ruling rich class was no good if they couldn’t even remember the right titles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd stood with a flourish, hand up in his signature gesture, with thumb out and pointer finger aligned towards the sky. He flashed a grin at the child. “That’s right! We came here to help.” And with that, he reached into the bag, pulling out what looked like a fistful of pure light to the child.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The child’s eyes widened, more pronounced on their weathered, somewhat pale face. Perhaps from so many nights of hunger and cold temperatures. It only hardened Lloyd’s resolve.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve… never seen so much Gald!” they breathed. Lloyd could barely tell their face in the dark, but the wonder in their eyes was all too recognizable, too familiar. There was sudden life in the face, compared to before. “Who is that for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t make a show of it this time. Lloyd said it seriously, remembering what he was here for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re for everyone in the slums. So you don’t go hungry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The child gawked at Lloyd, then back the precious coins he held in his hand. “But…this is too much. And the shops are closed anyway…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colette piped in, kneeling beside the child. “There should be a few open tonight! Especially the one nearby the inn. Do you know that one?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One could almost hear a stomach grumble in the night at the mention of food. “The place with the Wonderchef?! We could eat there…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd nodded, carefully taking the child’s hand and giving him the money. “Show your family this if they’re doubting. But we should have enough for everyone in the slums.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe it was the way the kid’s eyes welled up at that moment, or maybe when he saw more and more people start to gather later, getting up from their beds to see if the rumors of charitable not-thieves were true – but Lloyd felt every burden lift up from his heart as he and Colette gave all that they could sell, all that they could gather.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And all while the rich up top continued to slumber away the night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They didn’t stay long, as some residents would say later that the masked duo whisked away into the shadows the moment they dropped the very last Gald into an outstretched hand. Lloyd and Colette didn’t give any more words or speeches, this time moving just as silently as they did when they had been up on the higher levels.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>… No one would notice them both now in the quieter part of the great city, both seating themselves on one of the many marble arches, watching the sky with its familiar patterns.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s amazing we could sell what we could on the same night thanks to Professor Sage,” Colette commented, her voice a little winded from moving so much tonight. But there was something proud in her tone too, something that Lloyd could relate to right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It really was surprising just how much Raine knew of a few connections, like certain dealers that could take a few treasures and exchange them for Gald. Lloyd and Colette couldn’t always estimate just how valuable their goods were, so it was helpful their old teacher knew just how much…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As long as we get her those relics while we’re out doing this, huh?” Lloyd said aloud, inwardly groaning at the idea of going to another stuffy ruin next. “Maybe we should just look for lost treasure in those places ourselves and sell them. Last time she got so scary when we gave her stuff, I thought she was going to steal </span>
  <em>
    <span>us</span>
  </em>
  <span> next!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, that doesn’t sound too bad.” Colette winked. “We’d never be late to classes!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Colette, this is like my worst nightmare, please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even a small tease felt too real, even as he couldn’t stop grinning from what they had accomplished tonight. Lloyd leaned back on his hands, looking up at the sky. It stretched out, so long and dark, its wide array of stars taking over everything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, he had to wonder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Colette… do you think what we’re doing is right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colette moved to seat herself closer to him (or tripped, he couldn’t really tell), her expression thoughtful. “I’ve always believed in what you were doing, Lloyd… That you wanted to help people. And you are!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, I guess somehow.” The little nagging voice in his head kept repeating itself – and it sounded exactly like that strange lady they had met at the mansion before she fell into her own pit. “But maybe there </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> a better way to do it. And I know dad wasn’t a big fan of the idea of us doing all this either.” With that, he puffed out his chest, clenched both fists, and did the best impression of his dwarven father that he knew how. “Dwarven vow number eleven! Lying is the first step down the path to thievery! Also, eat your tomatoes, lad!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow, you sounded exactly like him, Lloyd!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Heh, thanks. I’ve been practicing a lot.” The trick was getting the gentle raspiness of his father’s voice just right! No easy feat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But even that brief little ego boost couldn’t last, remembering the meaning of what he just said. “I guess I haven’t exactly been following those vows. Although… I didn’t really lie! Er, that much, I mean.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hm.” Colette tapped a finger against her chin, thinking on his statement so much, and so seriously, that it was kinda worrying Lloyd a bit?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, you don’t have to think about it that much…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh! But I just wanted to find a way to help you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, but now I’m thinking I definitely did something wrong here if it’s got you worried.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shook her head. They were both no longer wearing their masks now after their delivery to the poor of Meltokio, and now Lloyd could see the fullness of her eyes. It was a blue of a lighter shade, like a water’s surface during a sunrise. When she wore her mask, he couldn’t see that as much. Maybe they didn’t need to wear their masks </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> the time…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not really worried,” she was saying, her breath held rhythmically. She was choosing carefully what she would say next. “It’s just… In this world, there’s not much we can do otherwise, you know? So many people are suffering, and yet, those who have the power to change it, they just… don’t do it. Or they don’t care to. We can’t rely on them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>From Colette’s words, Lloyd heard his own thoughts echo back. Some people, like his dad, could depend on himself, from building his own home to even taking in a human child that he barely knew. But not everyone could do that, he knew.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s another vow your dad says all the time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh? Oh, you mean…” He sighed, but the smile on his face was full of gratitude. “Never abandon someone in need.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yep. And, I think we’ve been doing that the best that we can.” She grinned, a lock of her hair falling across her cheek. “Even if we’re using money from those higher up to do so!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not like that money is being used for anything else! All that Gald was literally just sitting there!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah! Though I guess we don’t know if they were going to use it on something good… Maybe they were going to donate that same money!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?! Aw man, now you’re making me question it, Colette!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she simply laughed, the sound traveling through his chest and somehow making his heart feel a little less heavy. He smiled, laughing with her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine, let’s just say we did it faster for them,” Lloyd reasoned. “So now that family can eat tonight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Maybe…someday we can do it differently. But I like doing it your way!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Honestly, this wouldn’t have turned out so well without that item thief move of yours. I can lockpick but that’s kind of it…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you’re the best at it! You beat your whole record by ten seconds!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, I thought you didn’t count it last time!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hm… maybe I just wanted to tease you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mean, Colette!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But their continued laughter finally brought back someone familiar; the soft padding of feet along the pavement below them, with a whine that echoed throughout the night. Lloyd wouldn’t even chide Noishe this time, his mood lightening up much more than since when they left that mansion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, boy,” he called out gently, and Noishe loped forward, putting his great head against Lloyd’s outstretched hands. A few scratches here and there and the dog’s fluffy tail began wagging, even as his whines continued. “It’s okay. Just bring us home, alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will Dirk be awake now?” Colette asked, also patting Noishe along his back, fingers digging through the green fur. Colette would never pass up an opportunity to pet the whining animal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably… Let’s just sneak inside, we’re good at that! Uh, maybe we are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colette already climbed atop Noishe’s back, the action as natural to her as tripping. “We can get him something from here, like a souvenir!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lloyd climbed on too, giving one last scratch behind Noishe’s left ear. “It’ll have to be something we bought and not stole, and I forgot to buy things… I’ll just make him something on the way!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Meltokio’s walls were high, but there were many hidden cracks in their foundations. Some brought on by the ravages of time, some from disrepair or a lack of maintenance…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>… and then some made from a person plainly tripping into a wall. Already as Noishe was rushing along the city, they saw it – that tell-tale Colette-shaped hole, from when she had tripped across an upturned grass tuft and tumbled right into stone like it was nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the sight, he could hear Colette make a sound full of embarrassment. “I hope I didn’t ruin this wall…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No way, it’s fine! Besides, this turned out for the best!” Lloyd would have to squeeze through it himself, as the hole wasn’t exactly his height, but even in Colette’s tumble, she had made sure to make her accident luckier than most.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And just as they finally made it out of the city, and were once again on open plains, with the stars so much brighter without the constant lights from below, so much wider that one could see the silhouette of the Fooji Mountains up ahead, Lloyd turned to Colette.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, Colette.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knew the words had caught her off guard. Without her mask on, the flush on her cheeks was so much more obvious. Her eyes were bright from the two moons overhead. “Ah, for what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For reminding me of what we’re really doing. I started questioning everything but, I know that we’re doing good. Especially having you with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And maybe, it was kind of cute, her blush, and the way she looked at him just now. “I really do help you, Lloyd?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, of course! I’d have gotten caught on my first job if you weren’t there to tell me that people were still inside that one house.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, right. You were just about to barge right in there!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It seemed like a good idea at the time!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Colette’s hands reached out to grasp Lloyd by the shoulders, balancing herself as Noishe walked. She did this all the time, but it felt different now, like the sky overhead, and the air so brisk against their skin. “But… thank you too, Lloyd. You gave me a way to help people.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grinned. “Then let’s keep doing it then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And they would, on another night, at another place. But for now, they let Noishe lead them on, past the mountains and for the trees far off in the horizon. Her hands on his shoulders kept him steady until the morning came.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>...Yet in all that time, neither noticed the little shadow that trailed after them, its normally colorful fur of azure and orange now muted within the shadows it hid inside. </span>
</p><p>
  <span><em>Sheena is counting on me</em>, thought Corrine, his soft pads making no sound at all as he leapt after the thieves and their dog. It may have been fast, but Corrine could catch up, sensing them from way further behind.</span>
</p><p>Still, he followed, a small ringing in the dark.</p>
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